Gaming Consoles Posts - Page 33

The Microsoft Xbox One next-generation game console is getting hammered by the Sony PlayStation 4, and it's possible an official price cut could be coming soon. Both e-tailers and brick and mortar stores already are offering discounted prices or strong incentives to try and woo consumers to purchase the struggling Microsoft console.

If customers purchase the Xbox One from WalMart, the large box retailer will throw in one free game with the transaction. Meanwhile, Target is now offering up a gift card worth the same amount as one free game title for customers looking to make other purchases.

It's a shame to see the Xbox One struggle so early, and it's going to take games such as Titanfall and other high-profile titles to help boost sales. Microsoft officials recently said it doesn't plan to launch cheaper models, or officially cut prices at the moment, though that obviously could change quickly.

Several days ago, we told you about Microsoft's plans to release new audio and video accessories for the Xbox One in early March, and today the final piece of that puzzle was officially unveiled. Today Microsoft confirmed the existence of an official Xbox One Media Remote, something we first saw leaked on Amazon last week.

The official Xbox One Media Remote features white backlit keys that are motion activated, which illuminates them as soon as you pick the remote up. Other features include a OneGuide button for the built-in Xbox One TV feature. Channel up and down buttons, and a touch-sensitive navigation pad is on had as well. Microsoft says that the remote will be priced at just $24.95 and will release world wide in early March, confirming the timeline we mentioned in our original post.

It seems that Microsoft and Sony just keep exchanging blows over which console is better than the other. Today Konami released a statement confirming that its long awaited fifth installment to the famed Metal Gear Solid franchise will in fact run better on Sony's PlayStation 4 console. This is a major blow to Metal Gear Solid fans who bought the Xbox One awaiting the game.

Konami says that Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes will run at its native resolution of 1080p at 60fps on the PlayStation 4 while only running at 720p and 60fps on the Xbox One. To further pour salt on the wound, the games creator, Hideo Kojima, said that; "I think, between the home console available in the domestic market, the PS4 is the best. Since it does it a little better than other hardware, the image quality of the PS4 is the most beautiful. It's the closest to the photo-realistic quality we are aiming at." With many new games launching with native 1080p resolutions, it appears that Microsoft may be playing catch-up with the PS4 for quite some time to come.

Convicted killer Anders Breivik is ready to go on a hunger strike of his self-proclaimed "torture" conditions at the Ila and Skien prisons in Norway. Breivik killed 77 people in a shooting and bombing rampage in 2011, and is now serving a 21-year sentence.

Breivik demanded the right to a newer PlayStation 3 game console "with access to more adult games that I get to choose myself," according to a letter he wrote to journalists. "Other inmates have access to adult games while I only have the right to play less interesting kids games. One example is 'Rayman Revolution,' a game aimed at three year olds."

The game title in question received a 3+ rating in Europe, so it's suitable for gamers of all ages above three years old. The ESRB gave the same title E+10, which means any player 10 years of age or older.

The Sony PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Xbox One are engaged in a fierce battle in the console market, though it looks like the PS4 outsold the Xbox One by a hefty 2-to-1 margin in January. The NPD Group didn't release specific sales figures, only saying that the PS4 led the market in hardware sales, but Sony executives claimed that its console "nearly doubled" that of the Xbox One.

Game hardware sales in January 2014 were down 21 percent compared to the same time last year, though January 2013 had five weeks. Microsoft's reliance on restrictive DRM - or gamer perception of intrusive anti-piracy efforts has caused gamers frustration. In addition, cross-platform gamers are playing better on the PS4 than the Xbox One, along with the lower price tag of the PS4.

"Overall retail video game sales would be down only 1 percent instead of down 21 percent, if sales were normalized to account for the five-week January 2013 compared to the four-week January 2014," said Liam Callahan, NPD analyst, in a statement.

Next-generation consoles blend gaming and Web-based apps to keep consumers engaged in the living room.

Just when you though the console wars had died down and the battlefield had began to quieten down, a new report from Sony has came in that refuels the fight. Today Sony announced that its PlayStation 4 is now the best selling console in Australia despite Microsoft claiming it's Xbox One dominated the market down under in 2013.

Unfortunately, while the PS4 may be the best selling console in Australia at the moment, the country is still suffering from stock shortages of both consoles, and these new numbers could be greatly affected if Sony managed to get new shipments in before Microsoft did. The same can be said for Microsoft's claim of dominance in 2013, as it did manage to get more stock into the country than Sony did, and had a head start of a few weeks over Sony. Ultimately, we will have to wait until later in the year when stock levels even out and the demand no longer outpaces supply before we can get a definitive conclusion on which console Aussies like better.

This week was the week when Xbox One owners expected to get a major system update from Microsoft, but unfortunately that update will not be coming until March. This morning Microsoft announced that it was delaying the February Xbox One System update until March along side some new gaming accessories for the console.

The update will be centered around improving the multiplayer and party experience, and will make it easier for you to find your friends by bringing the Friends List front and center by clicking on the Social Tile. The update will also enable the Party Chat by default, and will allow friends to chat with other friends who are online and not just in the same game. Microsoft will also be adding an "Invite Friends to Game" option that will let users do just what it says; invite their friends into their game.

Along side the Xbox One system update, the company will release a few accessories including the official Xbox One Stereo Headset that will offer a "premium audio experience" for under $100. Additionally, Microsoft will launch the Xbox One Stereo Headset Adapter, a device that allows users to connect existing stereo headsets to the Xbox One. So if you already have an expensive gaming headset that has a 3.5mm jack, you only need to purchase this $25 headset adapter to use it.

Its been about a month since Sony unveiled its PlayStation now service at CES 2014, and today we are getting a look at the game download service and what titles will be available on launch day thanks to a leaked image that has appeared on Reddit. Along with the screenshot comes a rumor that the service will cost customers $49.99.

AAA titles like God of War, Pay Day, The Last of Us, and Beyond Two Souls are said to be among the list of day-one titles with several others. Unfortunately, this image did first surface on Reddit from a user who had made an account just to post the image, so take this leak with a grain of salt. While it would be very exciting to see all these titles launched on the service on its opening day, until official word comes in from Sony, we won't be holding our breath. Take the $49 pricetag about as serious as the game titles as well, but $50 does seem like it is within the price range Sony will try to hit.

Microsoft's Chief of Staff for Devices and Studios, Aaron Greenberg, said in a Twitter post when asked if the rumors were true: "No, you cannot believe everything you read on the internet". Well folks, it looks like we shouldn't expect a Blu-ray less Xbox One, or a cheaper model anytime soon.

During an AMA (Ask Me Anything) post on Reddit, President of Sony Online Entertainment, John Smedley, all but confirmed the existence of a Sony-made virtual reality headset. During the AMA, Smedley was asked about possible future support for the Oculus Rift pertaining to the upcoming Everquest Next game, and his reply more than hinted at the existence of a Sony-branded VR Headset competitor to the Rift.

"Hearing good things about 2 competitors... one of which actually comes from Sony. So I'm thinking this is real and we may have our Snowcrash (a book about a VR based internet by Neal Stephenson) after all." was Smedley's reply. While rumors of a Sony VR Headset have been circling for months now, this is the first word on the matter from someone high up in Sony's management. Since Smedley runs SOE, he would be the person to know if such a headset exist, and exactly how much he could divulge on the matter.

With Oculus making huge leaps forward with its Rift headset, Sony has some tough shoes to fill in making a VR headset that people will actually use. Lets hope they listen to the wealth of feedback available online about the Oculus Rift Developers Kit, and include at minimum; 1440P resolution, and wireless operation. If Sony is going to enter this market, then they need to step out of the dugout with their best foot forward and swing for the fences on the first pitch, otherwise, a VR Headset from Sony will not survive the game Oculus is already dominating.